Smarter Time Management

Ask many people today what they lack and often time will be the answer.  We cannot expand the amount of time in a day.  We have 24 hours in a day.  We all need to eat, sleep and relax from time to time.  So how can you be smarter when it comes to managing your time?

Know what is expected

Every single person employed in an organisation is there to do a job or more precisely to get a result.  Yet many people are unclear what the key results are that are expected of them.  If you cannot clearly articulate what key results you are expected to deliver, you will never ever get smart when it comes to managing your time.

Plan

Chances are that in any one day, there will be routine tasks that you do.  Things like dealing with voicemail, e-mail, correspondence and attending meetings.  There will be other activities that are more longer term.  Make sure you set out a plan of what you will achieve and link it back to your key deliverables.

Set time limits

Start setting up tasks that you have to complete in your diary in the same way you block out meetings in your diary.  This will cap the amount of time that you spend on a particular activity.  When the time is up for each task simply stop and move on to the next task.

Stop judging how busy you are by task list size

It is really easy to think that because you have a big list of tasks you are being highly productive.  You might be but on the other hand you might just be filling your time with activities that are not helping you on your key deliverables.

Manage interruptions

Interacting with colleagues is an important part of work for most people.  It is essential that this does not translate into a series of interruptions that stop you from getting anything completed.

Make use of technology

In many e-mail systems you can set up rules to make your handling of your e-mails more efficient.  If this means nothing to you, find out or make a point of finding a personal organiser to help you.

Only attend meetings you have to

We all have a tendency to go to meetings because we feel that we might miss something.  Review the meetings you attend and ask yourself if they contribute to your key deliverables and if not either delegate or drop.

Consider virtual meetings

Many organisations have people in different locations.  It can be costly in terms of time to bring them to a central location.  Virtual telephone meetings or webinars can offer an alternative that is both time and cost efficient.

At the end of the day, improving your time management is an ongoing process.  By taking some simple steps immediately you can start to make progress.